Introduction

Hoof health and lameness--big concerns for dairy producers--are directly related to management. The contributing factors are nutrition, walking surfaces, cow comfort (stalls), genetics, cleanliness, and biosecurity, most of which are under a farmer's direct control. On conventional farms, lameness has increased markedly over the last 20 years as intensive dairying has increased. Because organic cows are managed less intensively and production is lower, many studies have found a reduction in lameness as farms switch to grazing and organic production methods.

Nutrition

High starch diets and diets containing improperly processed grain can set cows up for acidosis and hoof disease. Fortunately, most organic diets limit grain intake and rely heavily on forage, so acidosis is reduced. Problems can occur, however, if slug feeding is practiced (offering grain for a short amount of time, e.g., in parlor). See "Managing Dairy Nutrition for the Organic Herd: Assessing the Feeding Program" for additional information on acidosis and nutritional impact on lameness. Trace minerals (copper, zinc) and vitamins (A and E, biotin, and beta carotene) are necessary for healthy hoof growth and proper function of the immune system.

Housing

Confinement on concrete will increase feet and leg problems, as will uncomfortable stalls if cows are reluctant to lie down. Since organic cows spend most of their time on pasture during the grazing season, lameness problems decrease for most dairies. Cleanliness of housing can have an impact on lameness on any dairy. Moisture from wet manure, urine, mud, and standing water in pastures harbors bacteria that cause infectious foot rot and soften the hoof, making invasion by these bacteria more likely to occur.

Causes of Lameness

As with many diseases, lameness is caused by many factors. Table 1. reviews the common causes of lameness (both infectious and noninfectious).

Table 1. Common causes of lameness and management considerations.

Name and Cause

Location and Characteristics

Contributing Factors

Management and Treatment

Infectious Hoof Diseases

Digital Dermatitis (strawberry wart, hairy heel wart)

Cause: bacterial

Heel between claws (raised red area with hairs at heel or between toes; cow may walk on tip of toe).

Must treat with antibiotics to remove toe if there is a deep infection and the animal is suffering.

Alternative Therapies for Lameness

The following therapies may not be scientifically evaluated or appropriate for all farms. Make sure you consult the References and Citations section at the end of this article for specific instructions.

Foot rot: homeopathic pyrogen.

Abscesses: homeopathic hepar sulph, silica.

Garlic tincture or crushed bulbs orally.

Epsom salt/tea tree oil footwraps.

Also in This Series

This article is part of a series discussing organic dairy herd health. For more information, see the following articles.

This is an eOrganic article and was reviewed for compliance with National Organic Program regulations by members of the eOrganic community. Always check with your organic certification agency before adopting new practices or using new materials. For more information, refer to eOrganic's articles on organic certification.